INFRARED STIMULATED LUMINESCENCE DATING OF HOLOCENE COLLUVIAL SEDIMENTS USING THE 410 NM EMISSION

Infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) ages are reported for loessic colluvial sediments from Wiesenbach. south Germany. The samples were c ollected by boring and the polymineral fine-grain fraction (4-11 mu m) was used for IRSL investigations. IRSL-spectra were measured prior to dating. They show two major emissions at approx. 560 and 410 nm. The advantages of the subtraction dating technique (Aitken and Xie, 1992) using the 410 nm emission are demonstrated. The ages obtained are used for the reconstruction of the landscape development at the studied si te: subsequent to an erosion phase, the deposition of a colluvium star ted prior to the Roman period and increased to a maximum accumulation rate during the Middle Ages. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.